Allen Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work fits the foundation's nutrition focus, such as nutrition research, maternal nutrition, training nutrition educators, healthful eating practices, emergency hunger relief or sustainable food systems, it is worth approaching, provided you are a 501(c)(3) or a tax-exempt governmental entity officially domiciled in the United States.
- Do not pitch professional conferences, seminar tables, discussion panels or similar events, which it does not fund.
- Typical grants fall between $5,000 and $80,000, and half of its grants to organisations are $25,000 or less, so a modest request in that range suits it best, although its largest grant was $150,000.
- Apply online through the grant portal by selecting the matching Academic Research, Hunger Relief or Nutrition Education application, and note that 51% of its grant dollars in the filing went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so a continuing relationship may matter.
- Plan for the January 15 deadline for its April board meeting or the July 15 deadline for its October board meeting, and if you are proposing academic research, the principal investigator must be a full-time regular faculty member with tenure or on the tenure track.
Overview
Allen Foundation is a US private foundation based in Midland, MI.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Allen Foundation supports projects that primarily benefit programmes for human nutrition, particularly in health, education, training and research. Its priorities include relevant nutritional research; education and training for mothers during pregnancy and after birth; preparing educators and demonstrators of good nutritional practices; and sharing information about healthful nutrition. It gives limited consideration to immediate hunger and malnutrition problems, while supporting environmental initiatives that strengthen sustainable food systems and address hunger and inequity through sustainable agriculture, academic research, and long-term community health and resilience. Applicants must be non-profit organisations with 501(c)(3) status or governmental entities with tax-exempt status, officially domiciled in the United States. In certain circumstances it considers requests from hospitals or medical clinics, social, religious, fraternal or community organisations, private foundations and K–12 schools. Proposals are evaluated on their goals, objectives and expected outcomes; matching support and prospects for continued financial self-sufficiency are also relevant.
Themes
- Nutrition research
- Maternal nutrition
- Nutrition educator training
- Healthful nutrition practices
- Emergency hunger relief
- Sustainable food systems
Geographic Focus
United States.
What They Don't Fund
- Professional conferences
- Seminar tables
- Discussion panels
- Similar events
How to apply
Applicants select the matching Academic Research, Hunger Relief or Nutrition Education application and submit it online through the grant portal.
Deadlines: Proposals are due by January 15 for the April board meeting and July 15 for the October board meeting.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 51% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 140 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation may give preference to proposals that include matching funds from the institution or other partners, including in-kind contributions.
- Reviewers evaluate proposals objectively on the goals, objectives and expected outcomes.
- Projects should have the potential for budgetary self-sufficiency or show that special funds will not be needed after the grant period.
- Academic research must be led by a full-time regular faculty principal investigator with tenure or on tenure track.
- Recipients are asked to submit yearly progress reports and a financial accounting of grant expenditures.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 10%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 18%
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 51% of grant dollars went to organisations Allen Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 9% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Australia, Austria, United Kingdom, Canada).
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 45 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $26,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Acta Non Verba Urban Youth Farm · Youth empowermt$150,0002024 tax year
- Bridge Food Center · Expansion project$127,9282024 tax year
- Food Rescue · Low income fruits and veg access$100,0002024 tax year
- Brigham & Womens Hospital · Research$100,0002024 tax year
- Botanical Gardent Soc Of NW Mi · Childrens nutritional health$75,0002024 tax year
- Traverse Area Public Schools · Hs greenhouse project$67,0002024 tax year
- Eagle Village · Revovation ed and safety$61,0002024 tax year
- University of Queensland · Research$54,4592024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Emily Umbarger — Trustee
- Mogen Mcallister — Junior Apprentice
- McClain McAllister — Junior Apprentice
- Mike Woolhiser — Trustee
- Amanda Bouwman — Trustee
- Charles Kendall — Trustee / Treasurer
- Heather Kelto — Trustee
- William Lauderbach — Treasurer / Fincial VP / Trustee
- Mark Ostahowski MD — President
- Laurie Bouwman — Secretary
- Gail Lanphear — Board Chair
- Ann F Jay — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,994,668 | $1,814,764 | $32,324,313 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,759,909 | $1,611,269 | $34,457,623 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,786,031 | $1,582,941 | $36,904,277 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Allen Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Midland, MI
- allenfoundation.org
Applying to Allen Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Midland, MI
- allenfoundation.org